Category Archives: Murcia

You can find the Cathedral of Murcia in the middle of the city . Nearby are the city hall and a bit further away us the River Segura.

Cathedral of Murcia

Murcia is a beautiful town in the Murcia Region. Is one hour ride from Alicante and the Costa Blanca. If you are interested in Murcia, read more on our page Murcia. The town is worth a visit.

Cathedral of Murcia

The Cathedral of Murcia is situated in the Plaza Cardenal Bellluga. This Plaza and the streets around, are the most important of the city of Murcia. It is the place to be for locals . A meeting point full of restaurants, tapa bars, and of course shops.

Nearby, the most important street is a pedestrian street . So you can take a nice relax stroll.

The Cathedral of Murcia is called ” El Cathedral de Santa Maria”.

The cathedral si not so high as you should expect. The cathedral in Granada is more spectacular.

History of the cathedral of Murcia

The construction began at the end of the 1300. But it was completed in 50 years later. After this , the cathedral was often renovated. So the cathedral is example of Gothic style. But also Renaissance style . Even Baroque style. Many religious buildings in Spain, and especifique in South of Spain are build on the remains of a mosque.

In the region of Murcia and Andalusia, you can find still many Moorish influence.

In the early Middle Age, the Moorish invasion in Spain was very important. After this period, Murcia was conquered by Catholic kings.

The cathedral of Murcia now.

The cathedral is not big. It is an unusual building for a Cathedral. It has an flowing facade and a domed porch. The main gate and entrance are Gothic style. In Spanish it is ” Puerta de los Aposteles” . Because their are four Apostles on the gate.

Cathedral of Murcia

Another interesting thing is the It is 90 meters high Bell Tower. Especifique , you can see up of five parts and each has a different style and width .

The Bell Tower was important in the Middle ages as a warn signal for the residents in case of danger.But also to inform the locals for festivities, celebrations or weddings.

Inside the Cathedral are very beautiful glass windows.The altar contains the heart of the important medieval Spanish kings.

But one of the most impressive things of the cathedral are the chapels.

For example , the “Capilla del Marques de los Velez” is a jewel of Gothic architecture in Spain.

Cathedral of Murcia

Because the chapel shows the most traditional element of the flamboyant Gothic style.

The nearby Museum

The museum of the Cathedral is inside the cloisters. When you visit the cathedral the museum is worth a visit.

Openingshours Cathedral

From 1 september till the end of June : every Tuesday till Saturday. Open from 7: 00 till 13:000 and 17:00 till 20:00 On Sunday and holidays : from 7:00 till 13:00 and from 18:30 till 20:00

From 01 July till end of august :from Monday till Friday . To visit from 7:00: till 13:00 and 18 :30 till 20:00

Further on weekends and holidays from 7:00 till 13:00 and from 19:00 til 21:00

Entrance is free .

To end

There are tons more interesting things to do in Murcia that you can explore. We hope that this article gives you some ideas and inspiration for a beautiful stay in the city of Murcia. Enjoy yourself!

So if you want to know more about trips in the environment, see our article on Murcia region.

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Blossoms in Spring means that the winter is finished. In the region of the Costa Blanca and Murcia the fruit trees are blossoming. While, this beauty natural spectacle lasts only a month.

almonds Blossoms

Indeed, in the region the fields are covered with white and light pink flowers

So people like to walk to see the branches of the blossoming trees.

In fact, the trees can be almonds trees, peaches tree, cherry trees….

Blossoms in Spring

As a result that this natural beauty spectacle has become a tourist attraction. For several little inland community’s it is a source of income. So they organize guided visits, cultural events, gastronomic events , …All based on the this blossom season. In fact, the beauty of the flowers can be seen in several region of Alicante and Murcia. After all, Murcia is really the important place for culture fruits for Spain and West Europe. as said before, the season begins mid February and ends mid March.

Blossoms Cieza

Because of the warmer temperature of the coast, the beautiful spectacle starts in the fields closer to the coast. For many tourists and locals is the sign that the winter is over.

Tourist attraction

During the blossoms season at the Jalon valley buses full of tourist enjoying the flowering trees.

Blossoms in Cieza

Blossoms Peach

Nearby Murcia, several municipalities like the little town of Cieza offers the tourist guided tours, food tasting moments or a visit to the fruit museum. More specifically in Cieza it is the blossoming of the peaches trees and the apricots trees. Also the plums trees are blossoming. As a result , this natural show has become the most important event of the year. Indeed, it attracts thousand of visitors and lovers of photography. Now, there are several routes to take. You can enjoy the fields by foot , by car as well on bike. So it great for young and old. Tip : don’t miss the trenza ciezana. It is a puff pastry filled with peach and dried fruits.

Almond blossoms

First to blossom are the almonds tree. In fact, Spain is the one of the biggest almond producer in the world. From all over the places , people come so see the beauty of nature. Simular to the cherry blossoms in Japan. The flowers are white, soft pink or hard pink. Depending the variety and the ground.

For instance , blossoming almonds trees can be seen in the area of Guadalest. Also in the valley of Jalon and Jijona. Want to read more about Guadalest. See our page Guadalest.

Guadalest

Almonds are the main ingredient for the famous sweet Turron . Many tourist take the nougats home as sweet souvenir, Do you now to read what is the Turron. Than you can see our article about the Gastronomy at the Costa Blanca or Spanish tradition .

To conclude

When you are living in Spain or just on holiday the natural show of the blossoming trees as amazing to see. Enjoy the views !

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In the first place , the InterContinental Murcia Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa is a luxury resort. This hotel is situated in the region of Murcia.

InterContinental Murcia

As Murcia is located in the south east of Spain, between Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol the weather is very good. This part of the Spanish coast is also called Costa Calida. Indeed this means the warm coast.

Indeed, the climate is a Mediterranean climate. As a result very warm summers and the others season are very smooth .

The resort.

Again, the InterContinental Murcia Mar Menor resort is beautiful. Equally important is that most of the rooms have a stunning view on the landscaped outdoor pool and the golf. Specifically for the experts: it is a 18 hole golf course. During the time while the ladies are enjoying the treatments in the Spa, the men can have a great day playing golf. Or visa versa.

Spa at the Intercontinental Murcia Mar Menor Spain

Intercontinental Murcia Mar Menor

Further on , there are 64 luxury rooms.In the spacious suites , you find everything you need and most of them have private balconies. Indeed , in the InterContinental there is also a luxury Spa. This Spa got an indoor pool and a lot of wellness treatments.The best is that this treatments are holistic. As a result that the caring is a total caring of head and This total luxury caring is personalized with excellent trained employees. The Spa Treatments can be for example an Ayurveda treatment, a hot stone treatment, body massages, body wraps or intensive facial cares.

The resort is a place where you can combine the best of pleasure with sports, spa and culture. Naturally this 5 star hotel is fabulous and very good maintained.

Rooms.

First all the rooms are lovely, with spacious bathrooms. Some rooms have a Jacuzzi.Then , the beds are very comfortable and the pillows very good.Next, all the rooms have English TV stations and free WiFi.And on the balcony you can have a fantastic view on the resort.

intercontinental Rooms

Restaurants.

Consequently,there are different restaurants like a Mediterranean restaurant, an Italian restaurant and a Japanese restaurant. In fact, there are excellent and correct prized. Consequently, the Mediterranean restaurant is specialized in Murcian traditional cuisine. The traditional local rice dishes are delicious.

Now, one of the topper is the breakfast buffet, nearly brunch. As a result, that the visitor gets a wide range of choice. After all this luxury star resort have to please the many nationalities. Indeed, if you go to the Intercontinental in Murcia, take your time to enjoy it.

In sum, the InterContinental resort is a really oasis of tranquility and peace.As you can see , on the photo, the outdoor pool is very large and with a beautiful view on the hotel. Additionally , in the summer season, the terrace pool is also available. So you can nip your tasty cocktail in the pool.

InterContinental pool

Even if it is a high range hotel, it’s still a Spanish hotel. The excellent staff nationality is Spanish leading to the level of English spoken is good. At the reception it is of a good level.

Golf Intercontinental

Business center .

In addition for the business people there are different meetings rooms with a capacity until 250 persons.

A business center is open from 7.00 to 23.00.

Golf Intercontinental Murcia

They said that the golf at the golf courses of the InterContinental in Murcia is the best golf experiences in the region. Because the Irm Golf experience is a designed by Nicklaus design-Golf Courses. This label stands for the highest design and quality standards in the Golf world.

The experience is not only at the InterContinental Murcia but also offers courses at the Mar Menor, La Torre , Saurines , El Valle and Alhama. So this turns the region of Murcia into one of the best golf destinations of Europe.

This label stands for a high level of service quality. But also for a high level of maintenance of the golf courses. This level reflects in the choice of the hotels with the same high standards. The intercontinental in Murcia.

How to get to the Intercontinental Murcia?

From the airport of San Javier Murcia. It is a 15 minutes drive or 15 km.

First follow the highway A30 from Murcia to Cartagena. Then, take the exit , when you get to a roundabout take the exit Jimenado, Torre Pacheco, Los Alcazares.Next, at the next roundabout turn left toward the town of Alcazares. At last, on your left you will see the entrance for the Intercontinental.

From Alicante airport to the Intercontinental. it is an hour drive or 90 km.

First, take the highway AP 7 towards Cartagena .Then, take the exit 790, Torre Pacheco, Los Alcazares.Next, at the next roundabout take the right turn towards Torre Pacheco. Then on the third roundabout take the left turn. At last, continue straight ahead until you see the entrance of the Intercontinental at your left.

In addition, the hotel is reached by passing a guarded gate, which give you an instant feeling of luxury and safety.

The way to enter with the car, is to press the buzzer at the ticker machine. At that moment a picture is made from your car. From now the car is in a controlled resort safer than every where else. Then the barrier lifts and you can drive up the alley to the front of the resort. The view of the front is impressive.

To conclude ,your stay in in this hotel will be a superb experience.

Tips for trips.

South of InterContinental you can visit the nearby city of Cartagenawith his old Roman theater. East of the resort is Murcia city with the famous Cathedral and enjoy the real Spanish life.

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La Manga is located in the south east of Spain. This town is a part of the “Costa Calida”, the warm coast and is situated in the province of Murcia. The Costa Calida is the coastline between Andalusia and the Costa Blanca.

La Manga Mar Menor

At the beginning , La Manga and the Mar Menor was the tourist resort for the Spanish people. The last 20 years it became more and more popular by North and West Europeans people.

La Manga, a natural barrier.

Indeed, the special landscape is a natural barrier that separates two seas, the Mediterranean Sea at one side and the little sea, the Mar Menor, at the other side.

Therefore the resort is an ideal area for the practice of all kinds of water sport.Now the popular stroke is basically a big sandbank.Presently , this sandy land stroke is 20 km long and 100 to 1200 meters width. As a result , La Manga is a great place to visit at any time of the year, summer or winter. In brief , it is loved for its wide sandy beaches. During the summer season it is very busy in the hotels and the spa’s. In particular, the spa’s are specialized in seawater therapy. During the winter, the place is nice to stay because it is much quieter. In other words , if you want to come in this season, it better to check the availability . Because some hotels are closed in the winter season.

The best is that they are great choice of bars, nice restaurants, cafes, beach bars, hotels and shops on the stroke. The most important street runs the full length . Naturally with shops on both sides of the road. In sum it is a special feeling : the large Mediterranean Sea at one side, the Mar Menor at the other side.

La Manga

On La Manga you can visit the Marina, where you can admire all sorts of boats. The choice is yours: large fish boats or very nice sailing boats. From the “Tomas Maestre” Marina you enjoy a boat trip across the Mar Menor to Santiago de la Ribere. Santiogo de Ribera is a nice town at the other side of the Mar Menor. Like wise you can go sailing to the Mediterranean Sea.

Mar Menor a lagoon.

First, the Mar Menor is the largest lagoon in Europe. The best is that the water temperature never falls below the 19 degrees. Then, thanks to the ideal climate and the natural protection La Manga is the all year a perfect place. In particular it gives you opportunities to practice a range water sports. To sum up some of the water-sports are : jet ski, kite surfing, banana rides, paddle surf and boat trips. For the water devils wake board, surfing, water-skiing sailing and canoeing. Fur instance also Scuba diving and snorkeling are possible.

Because of the natural position, it is a ideal tourist resort. Facing as well the challenge of the Mediterranean Sea or the calm Mar Menor just a little bit away further.

To the right and the left, there are beautiful sandy beaches and many marinas.

The visitor can enjoy the amazing views on the Mar Menor and the mountains of the Sierra Minervas in the background.

In the past , the sandbar was natural till 1960’s. The untouched sand bar is still complete at the other side of the La Manga. Since the 1960’s this beautiful place was discovered by the tourist. Since then it grows with infrastructures to satisfy the growing demands of tourists.

At the southern end of La Manga there is a lighthouse on the Cabo ( Cape ) de Palos. This place is also a marine reserve.

From La Manga it is a quarter ride to the nearest airport Murcia San Javier. Alicante airport is a hour and a half ride or 125 km.

Climate La Manga.

The weather is one of the most recommended micro climates of Europe . 320 days of sun is not a promise but reality.

Trip

A nice trip is the Cartagena is 35 km Murcia, the capital of the Murcia region, 72 km To Torrevieja is 68 km Zenia boulevard on the Orihuela Costa 58km to Alicante 132 km

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First of all the Mar Menor or the little sea, is situated in the community of Murcia, near the city of Cartagena. And it is a part of the Costa Calida. Now the Mar Menor is a unique sea lagoon and well worth a visit. Alongside the Mar Menor there are lots of little villages. In fact, if you hire a bicycle you can make stops as often as you want. But to be honest, we loved the charm of the Mar Menor so much that we spend often the whole day at one place ( in Santiago de la Ribera, in Lo Pagan ).

meanwhile soak up the amazing vistas from its viewpoint across the lagoon towards the Strip and behind to the mountains of the Sierra Mineras. Then head to La Manga and explore all that the Strip has to offer.

Between La Manga and San Pedro del Pinitar, it creates a small channel out and in the Mar Menor.

In the past , the Moorish kings in the 9th century chose this lovely place for their summer residences. In the middle of the 20th century is became famous by the Hollywood stars who made Western films in Andalusia: Lawrence of Arabia,Cleopatra, A fistful of dollars….. Indeed, the movie stars called it the largest swimming pool in the world. In fact the Mar Menor has a maximum depth of 7 m. While we were on holiday , we did like to go swimming in the lagoon because off the very salty warm water. Because the salt level helps us floating, and this was a lovely experience.

Santiago de la Ribera.

Side by side with San Javier is Santiago de la Ribera, a small village near the airport of San Javier. Close to the city center , there is a boat crossing to the “La Manga strip” and back. Although, be aware that if you miss the boat, it is a long drive back around the sea to the village.

San Javier.

More important is the town of San Javier on the shores of the Mar Menor. In the past San Javier has grown in size since the 20th century. Presently, the town is famous for the San Javier jazz festival and it is also the base of the Spanish Air Force. Specifically , the museum of San Javier contains information about the airplane. There are several exhibition rooms and lots of information as books, displays relating to the airplane.

In addition , San Javier is since 1998 known for its Jazz Festival held during the month of July. Furthermore ,there is a weekly street market on Tuesday morning. Near San Javier is a modern shopping mall, called Dos Mares. Till 2013 is was the largest in the area. There is a very large “Eroski”, a famous supermarket. in particular it is located in the mall of “Dos Mares”. The shopping mall got a cinema with films in Spanish. Even though ,look for the English subtitles. Naturally , “Dos Mares” can be an option when it rains, but it nearly never rains in southern Costa Blanca.

Los Alcazares.

Another town is Los Alcazares, it is also one of the charming seaside towns around the shores of the Mar Menor. First, Los Alcazares has a kilometers long nice promenade to stroll along with a splendid view on the “little sea”. then ,the beach is sandy and perfect for families. When we visited in September and December the Los Alcazares area, was very quiet and ideal to relax. We did make a great walk along the beachfront. And hired a bike to do the bike ride round the salty inside sea. Next, there are many little Spanish bars and restaurants to eat a little snack ( tapas) or a drink. at last do not miss the local great seafood coming from here “ a la plancha” or “asado “ , grilled or baked. We went to the restaurant “La encarnacion Los Alcazares “ in Hotel Balneario and to the beach bar ” San Antonio”.

Menu

After all, the Mar Menor famous dish is the “caldero” .The caldero is a sea food dish made with good fish, rice and a special ingredient ” noras”: red peppers . As a appetizers, you can choose the different salted fish. We did like very much the Hueva ( eggs of a fish) and mojama: salted tuna. Naturaly ,we really enjoyed the mojama as a tapa mixed with tomatoes and olives. as a result, we even bought the” mojama” as a souvenir, so when we were back home we tasted once again the Mar Menor.

Mar Menor Mojama

Another specialty of the Mar Menor are the langoustines, famous of their exquisite taste.

Finaly, as a dessert we did like the ” Tocino de cielo “: touch of heaven. It is a sweet dessert.

Weekly market on Tuesday morning in Los Alcazares

Lo Pagan.

Lo Pagan is very Spanish and very few of the friendly locals speak English. Lo Pagan is also well-known for the mineral mud baths . In the mud baths you can have a healthy beauty treatment for the skin. Read our article about the Mud Baths.

Mar Menor mud bath

Punta Brava.

Once again a nice little town with long sandy beaches and a beach promenade. Things to do: a lovely walk around the hill to the top for an amazing point of view of the Mar Menor and the environment.

Cabo de Palos.

This coastline is more rocky with cliffs and coves. Take a walk to the lighthouse. The beach is sandy. The harbor offers local fresh fish in a lots of nice restaurants.

Mar Menor Cabo de Palos

Nautical sports Mar Menor.

The place is well-known by the Spanish people for the watersports : from sailing, to windsurfing, to dive, to jet skiing…. Thanks to its warm waters and its mild temperature you can enjoy the possibilities of the Mar Menor 365 days a year. There is not always sunshine, but the weather is excellent. The Spanish people appreciated the Mar Menor for the possibility of the race courses. In the little towns around the Mar Menor there are several Nautical schools. If you are a water lover no matter the age of level you find something you like. The possibilities are : canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, SUP paddle…

But also families do like it, because the Mar Menor is probably one of the safest places for children. You can go 50 m into the Mar Menor and you are still waist deep.

There are two natural parks (Salt lakes) or “ Salinas”. And nearly always you can see the flamingos.

Mar Menor Flamingo

If you want to relax: avoid the Saturday and Sundays and the summer holidays. The locals descend on the lovely beaches, leaving them crowded. In the summer the sea temperature rises to 27 degrees. We are going back to this little piece of heaven. We are in love , we are “enamorada”.

The windmills of the Mar Menor

The cultural and folk association has asked at the regional goverment to restore old windmills around the Mar Menor. Because, there are still more than 150 windmills , some of then more than 200 years old. Although they are protected, they are falling into ruins. Due to the neglect of the owners and the authority.

windmills

in fact, we have seen many of the ruins of windmills from the Ap 7 motorway to Cartagena. In spite of the cultural heritage , from some mills where only left the walls, others the wooden wheel, some times the blades of the rooftop.

In the past the windmills were very important for the economy.. Indeed, there were used to pup the water to irrigate the vegetables, to grind the cereals and to make flour.

Windmills are very popular in Spain. We think at Don Quixote an d his war against the windmills.

At the Mar Menor, they can become a sort of Bed and Breakfast .So is is time to restore them.

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Murcia City.

First, the city of Murcia is situated in the province of Andalusia. In the past , Andalusia is a region with great influence of the Muslims. So, Murcia was founded by the Moors during the 9 st century. While, the influence of the Islamic culture has lasted over more than 500 years. And can still be seen today. Since the foundation of Murcia, the town has been a crossing for several civilizations. The location on the river, Rio Segura, is important for Murcia.

Furthermore, the coast of the region of Murcia is also known as the” Costa Calida”. It means the warm coast. The best is that Murcia is one of the most typical towns in this Spanish region. Together with Cartagena it is a typical Spanish city. Further, Murcia is the capital of the Murcia region. Visitors certainly will enjoy your time in Murcia. The Moors have influenced the architecture within the old town. The old town is very beautiful with churches, museums, narrow streets and many cozy plazas.

Tourist information

It is located in the heart of the city, opposite to the Cathedral. The place is one of the most important meeting points for tourist and locals. One of the reason, the plaza is full of restaurants and bars.

Guided tours in English.

The tourism department of Murcia offers a series of guided tours in English. And this around some of the region most interesting places.

For example there will be a tour in April of Torre Pacheco. So participants will visit this municipality and the famous windmill an it museum. Visitors will have the possibility to participate in the town of Torre Pacheco to the annual windmill fiesta . So visitors can lean more about the heritage of the town and its culture.

In May there is a guided tour of “ Alahama de Murcia” . This tour focus on the most important points of the city. The tour visit the places in the urban center. To sum up : San Lazaro church, Plaza Vieja, El Positon, Tercia house, Los Martires garden, the town hall of the city and the archaeology museum. The meeting point is the tourist information office.

Another very interesting tour is the tour called ” Life in the world of Salt ” . This tour takes you to the San Pedro regional park in San Pedro del Pinitar. The tours take you to the park that crosses the salt lakes. Count to make a walk for 4 kilometers and about 2 hours . So wear comfortable footwear and clothes. You are in Spain, so bring a sunscreen , a hat and water with you. Do not forget your binoculars to observe the wild life at the Salt lakes. More information about this tour in June at the Tourist office.

The further the tourist information offers a ” boat trip”. Indeed the next tour is a boat crossing of the Mar Menor in June.

University.

Murcia Plaza

The City is a university town. It is a witness of a splendid authentic rich Spanish classical heritage . You can explore it at the “ caso antiguo “ or the old city. From here, explore the plazas and the little narrow streets. In those streets, you will find interesting art gallery’s, nice shops, and small museums. The town has an array of beautiful historic buildings and museums.

Before starting a visit to the museums, tourist visit the local tourist information. In the office you can find more information about maps, dates and opening hours. Because the opening hours can change depending on the winter or the summer season . Do not forget the Siesta time. The time to relax. Some museums offers free guided visits, so it is best to get informed.

The shopping Malls.

So, Murcia has one of the largest shopping areas. It is out-of-town but is consist of two large malls and also Ikea. Everyone likes the Ikea, the locals and the expats. Because is just the same as in their own country. See shopping in Murcia The Nueva Condimima shopping center is set over two floors. The Thader shopping center also has two floors. Parking is free for the two shopping malls. So keep it calm and take your time to shop.

The football stadium of Real Murcia.

Is popular by the male tourist .

Terra Nature of Murcia.

Terra Nature is an animal park nearby Murcia. it ha s a twin brother in Benidorm. More about this zoo at Benidorm? Read our page . The park that has over 50 species of trees and plants and more than 320 animals.

Murcia Terra Natura

This zoo is 166 000 square meters is split into two zones. In particular , the African Savannah and the Iberian Peninsula.

In brief, Terra Natura is a new generation Zoo . This is a new concept in habitat design. This design allows you nearly to touch the animals trough barriers nearly invisible to the human eye.

Read more about the prices and the opening hours at our web page Terra Natura, Murcia.

Aqua Natura Theme Park.

Side by side , is the Aqua nature park is a water park. Indeed, the park has pools and slides for children from 6 to 66 years old. So, we think it is a nice day trip for kids and adults. The water park is very clean. There are plenty of life guards. There are many possibilities to eat. But you can take your snack and drink with you.

In the water park , there are several shows. Plan your day to you can see the shows. Some of them are really amazing.

The prices depend the season.

Till now the Murcia region remains authentic. So it is the perfect time to discover it.

Exploring Murcia’s old town.

Basilica or Cathedral.

The impressive Basilica or Cathedral of Santa Maria is a good start for a city tour. It is located in the heart of the city, opposite to the modern local Tourist Office. The cathedral is nearby the River Segura and the City Hall. So you can find it at the Plaza de Cardenal Belluga. It is a busy place full of restaurants, local cafés and shops. It is also the start of the end of the pedestrianized street.

Some say that the Cathedral is not so especially big or does not have the majestic shape of the cathedrals in Seville . But most people see the cathedral as a masterpiece of the Spanish Baroque period.

The construction began in 1385 and was completed nearly 80 years later. Just like many Spanish religious buildings the cathedral was built over the remains of a mosque. As so many other city’s in this region and Andalusia, Murcia was an important Moorish city. The city was conquered by the catholic kings in 1266.

The main entrance of the cathedral is known as the Gate of the Apostles or ” Puerta de Los aposteles”. The gate is in the Gothic style. The bell tower was built between 1520 and 1790. The tower had 25 bells and it was very important for Murcia. It was used to alarm citizens of danger, for flooding and wars. But also for celebration , to inform the people of Murcia of festivities and weddings . The interior of the Cathedral is Gothic. The altar contains the heart of the one of the most medieval kings. This as a proof of the love of Alfonso X for the city of Murcia.

One of the most impressive chapels is the “Capilla del Marques”. It is considered one of the jewels of the Spanish Gothic architecture.

Cathedral Museum

The cathedral museum is also worth a visit. The cathedral museum has a collection of religion sculptures and religion altarpieces.

The museum displays some pieces by the sculptor Salzillo, religious oil paintings and a part of the remains of the old Mosque.

Both , Cathedral and Museum, are definitely worth a visit.

Murcia is the perfect city to walk and to stroll from the one site to the other. We left the car on the parking under the city hall or “Ayuntamiento”. This is nearby the river of the Segura, the river of Murcia. Everything you want to visit and see in this lovely town is within walking distance. Through narrow streets, we were walking to the “Cathedral of Santa Maria” and the” Episcopal Palace”. They are located in the same place or plaza. On this plaza you will find the local tourist information. The Episcopal Palace is made of two parts. The bishops rooms which gives views of the Rio Segura and the main building which looks over the Cathedral and the Plaza.

We enjoyed a Spanish specialty in the well-known cafeteria “Valor”, who is famous for the great sweet “Churros con chocolate”.

Murcia Churros con Chocolate

Churros is a kind of large doughnuts served with heavy hot chocolate. It is delicious!

The casino.

Through the “Calle de la Traperia”, we went to the beautiful Casino .

Murcia Casino

Now, the Casino is a private club and a Murcian institution, we had to pay for the visit but it is worth it. The style is mixed classical and modernist elements. The entry hall is Moorish patio , influenced by the Alhambra in Granada.

The Casino who is built-in 1847, houses a beautiful Arabic patio, a library and a Ladies powder room! But also a splendid Baroque ballroom decorated in the style of Louis XV and private billiards room for the local members of the club.

Murcia Casino

Tips Before visiting Murcia.

We went in the eastern vacation. So the time of the year of the ” Semana Santa “. Murcian people are very devoted, so you need to know that there is a famous ” Semana Santa, the Easter Week. For the locals it is one of the most important weeks full of devotion. In fact, in the Easter week there are very special holy processions. Naturally, most of the shops are closed in this week and we did not knew it. The locals have days off to celebrated the Holy Week or ” Semana Santa”. So before visiting, always check if there isn’t a local holiday.After all if everything is closed, you van’t not go shopping or visit some museums.

Museums in Murcia.

In fact, there are several interesting and beautiful museums, like the Science Museum or the Archaeological Museum.

The Sangre Museum houses the procession Holy week sculptures of the 17th to the 20th century. It is owned by the Brotherhood of the Holy Blood. They are known as the Reds due to the color of the tunics they wear on their Holy Week Parade.

Murcia Museum

In other words,the visit to the museum is also the moment to admire a large collection of items used in the Holy week. Like there are embroidery, gold, banners, silver and musical instruments.

One of the most important processional images in wood can be found in the Salzillo Museum.

Equal, paintings by Spanish artist from the 16th to the 20th century can be discovered in the Fine arts Museum.

Next, in the Archaeological Museum there is a large collection of Roman, Greek and Moorish artifacts.

Visitor center.

Furthermore, the “Muralla the Murcia” is a visitor center. The center accommodates a section of the medieval city wall that once surrounded the town. It houses also one of the gates used for centuries to enter the old city. indeed, the museum learn the visitor about the most important historical events of Murcia. From the first wall after the foundation in the 9th century and the transformations throughout the history.

Close to the Junterones Palace is located the City Museum. In the museum there are interactive displays. On the displays, you can learn more about the several civilizations that have crossed Murcia the last 2000 years.

Finally, in the San Juan de Dios Church and in its museum you can see various religious woodcarvings.

The Rio Segura.

The Rio Segura is a river through the city center. A walking path runs either side of the river.The “Paseo Del Malecon” near the river Segura is a nice walk out the city and back. The old bridges over the river, the Rio Segura are called the ” Puente de Pelligros” or Bridge of the pilgrims and the ” Puente Viejo” or the Old bridge .

Murcia Paseo

Once crossing one of the bridges you arrive in one of Murcia’s popular neighborhoods. The neighborhood is called ” El Barrio del Carmen”. It is certainly one of the popular by the locals. The barrio is located on the right bank of the River Segura. It was formed outside the medieval walls of the old city. The first thing to discover is one of the most characteristic spaces of the “Barrio” the ” Plaza de Camachos”.

For the lovers of walking, there are self guided walks for the city described in the Murcia Square booklet. This booklet is available from the Tourist information Office. The leaflet is available in the different languages.

Furthermore.

The River Mills museum is located in a late 18th century complex of historical interest. The River Mills is a clear example of the important of the river and the strength of the water. Those places were important for food and work, were milling grain was an essential part of life. The building preserves the apparatus from the day it was active. It had been restored in the late 1980. In the library there are exhibitions on the local folklore, the ethnographic and the hydraulic engineering.

Murcia River Mills museum

Nearby the university is the Museum of the University, with temporary exhibitions on different themes like arts and science. The museum is inaugurated in 2003 in the former Artillery Barracks.

Aquarium.

A nice visit for families with children is the Aquarium. The aquarium of the University of Murcia has tanks with fish and corals of the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean Ocean and the Indian Ocean. And of course learn more about the Mediterranean sea and more especially the Mar Menor. See the page on our website about Mar Menor.

For children the Science and Water museum is worth a visit. Water is the main theme of the Museum, but the building got also a planetarium and a Discovery room. There is a variety of workshops, exhibitions and courses on a different themes related with water It has been opened in 1998 on the same place were the old water deposits used to supply Murcia.

For the lovers of ” Carmen” of Bizet, toreadors and picadors : in the bullfighting Museum of Murcia. They see a lot of colorfully posters, costumes of famous bullfighters and materials . The Museum has a specific library and video collection.

Ramon Gaya got his own museum in Murcia. He is one the best contemporary local artists.

Murcia Ramon Gaya

Local craft work is for sale in the Regional Craft Center.

Tip.

The most museums are closed for the siesta which is in the summer from 2 till 5 in the afternoon and in the winter from 2 till 4 .

Shopping in Murcia city center.

The commercial streets are Traperia, Plateria and the avenue Alfonzo X. There are many local shops but also many well-known shops like the Zara , The Cortes Ingles or Mango. We even dedicated a page for all the Shopping Centres . or you can even a do a small trip to the Orihuela Costa and La Zenia Boulevard

Eating in Murcia.

In the first place, the city is also famous for its excellent tapas. Murcia serves some of the best food in Spain. One example , is the real temptation to spend the whole day between the many tapas bars. We went to the charming “Plaza des Flores”. In the evening , there are a large number of bars and taverns with great choice of delicious tapas.

For instance , the Plaza des Flores is surrounded by palms and orange trees. In the morning there is a nice flower market. On the one hand Murcia’s specialty are rice dishes ” Arroz Calder . But don’t forget to taste also , the “Zarangollo” , bean omelet, the “ michirones ” again beans with ham bone. On the other hand the sausage , bacon, bay leaf and pepper, rabbit stew, potatoes with garlic….. Additionally, the Plaza des Flores is plenty with locals, and there is a great relaxed atmosphere . Indeed, it is the perfect place to sit, relax and enjoy.

Murcia

Fruit Market in Murcia.

Indeed, Murcia is well-known for the fruit and market gardens. You can go to the famous Veronica market with fresh products straight from the garden. While , you can taste the fresh “ dates ” on the market. Never tasted dates that were so good. At the 1st level they sell fish and seafood directly from nearby the Mar Menor.

As you can see, we will surely come back to Murcia, this beautiful authentic lovely Spanish town.